Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-10-27

was delivered by James NJ. Varnum,
probably the first of its kind delivered
in the State. James NJ. Narnum, 5. II.
Parsons, and John Armstrong had been
appointed to the judicial bench Of the
Territory in the previous October, the
first Judges of the new Territory. Five
days later, Gov. st. Clair arrived, and
the colony began to assume FORM
Under the ordinance of 1857, the Gov
ernment of the Territory had been
vested i'm the Governor and the three
Judges. The first law they make was,
very properly, "for regulating and
establishing the militia" and the next
day appeared the Governors proclama-
ton, forming the new county of WASH
ington. On the 2nd of September the
first court was held, with becoming
ceremonies-the first civil court in the
State.
The opening of this court is thus
described by DIR. S. p. Hildreth, in the
American Pioneer: "The procession
was formed at the point where most of
the settlers resided, in the following
order: 1st, the high sheriff, with his
drawn sword; End, the citizens; 3rd, the
officers of the garrison at Ft. Harmar;
4th, the members of the bar; 5th, the
Supreme Judges; 9Th, the Governor and
the clergymen; 7th, the newly appoint
ed Judges of the Court of Common
Pleas, Gen. Rufus Putnam and Benz.
Upper. They marched up path that
had been cut and cleared through the
forest to Campus Martius Hall, stock
ade,) where the whole cOuntermarched,
and the Judges putnam and Tupper,)
took their seats. The clergyman, Rev.
DIR. Cutler, then invoked the Divine
blessing. The sheriff, Col. Ebenezer
Sproat, lone of nature mobiles, pro-
claimed with him his solemn 'Oyez'
that court is opened for the admins
tration of even-handed justice to the
poor and rich, to the guilty and the
innocent, without respect of persons;
none to be punished without a trial by
his peers, and then in pursuance of the
laws and the evidence in the case"
This imposing scene seems like page
taken out of New England's history,
rather than Ohio's; but, as DR.. Hildreth
says, "Although this scene was exhibit
ed thus early in the settlement of the
State, few ever equalled it in the
dignity and eXhalted character of its
principal participators. Many of them
belong to the history of our country, in
the darkest as we'll as the most splendid
periods of the Revolutionary war. To
witness this spectacle, large body of
Indians was collected from the most
powerful tribes then occupying the
entire West. They had assembled for
the purpose of making q treaty.
Whether any of them entered the hall
ofjustice, or what were their impress
sions we are not told" Probably this
gorgeous spectacle had beed inaugural
ed for their special benefit, to awe
them into subsection, more than for
any other reason.
"The progress of the settlement"
says letter from one of the settlers, "is
rapid for the first year.
We are continually erecting houses,
but arrivals are faster than we can pos
sibly provide convenient covering. Our
first ball was opened about the middle
of December, at which were fifteen
ladies, as we'll accomplished in the
manners of polite circles as any / have
ever seen in the old States. mention
this to show the progress of society in
this new world, where, l believe we
shall vie with, if not excel, in every
necessary to render
life agreeable and happy" This spirit
that animated the early settlers of
Marietta characterizes them to the
present day, and the chronicler above
was true in his prophecy.
The stockaded fort, Campus
was commenced during the
same year, but it was not entirely COM
pIeted with palisades and outworks,
or bastions," until the winter of 1871.
After the Indian war commenced
regular military corps was organized,
and guard constantly kept night and
day. ''It was in q manner impregna-
BILE to the attacks of the Indians, and
none but a regular army with cannon
could have reduced it. =. The
of the fort from without was
grand and imposing; at a little distance
resembling one of the military palaces
or castles of the feudal ages"
Opposite the fort, on the shore of the
river, was built a substantial timber
wharf, at which was moored a fine
cedar barge for twelve rowers, built by
Capt. Jonathan Devoll, for Gen. Put
nam; a number of pirogues, and the
light canoes of the country; and last,
not least. 1.-THE Mayflower," or "ad-
venture galley" in which the first
detachment of colonists were transport
ed from the shores of the Yohiogany to
the banks of the Muskingum. "Travel-
ing by land was very hazardous to any
but the rangers or spies. There were
no roads nor bridges across the creeks,
and for many years after the war had
ceased, the travelling was nearly all
done by canoes on the rivers"
In the spring of 1889, settlements
were pushed out to Belpre, French for
Beautiful meadow,"D Waterford and
Duck Creek, where they began to clear
and plant the land, build houses and
at Belpre were three Stock
ades, the last of which was called
Farmers Castle" and stood on the
banks of the Ohio, nearly if not quite
the beautiful island, since
known as "Blennerhassett's," the
scene of "Burr's Conspiracy" The
Ohio Company built large horsemill
near Campus Martius, and soon after a
floating mill. During the Indian war
which soon succeeded the first settle
ments, the inhabitants suffered much
for the necessaries of life. Some of the
settlers were killed and others carried
into captivity by the Indians, but the
massacre at Big Bottom was the most
event. In the autumn oil
1890, a company of 36 men went from
Marietta, and commenced settlement
at Big Bottom, on the Muskingum,